Starke County Drug Free Council Hosts Community Event

The recovering methamphetamine addict whose botched suicide attempt resulted in 30 surgeries will share his story about addiction, recovery and the dangers of methamphetamine with the community tomorrow evening. David Parnell was introduced to marijuana when he was 13 and says that led to experimentation with other drugs and alcohol. He tried methamphetamine for the first time when he was 21, and says his life continued to spiral downward. The father of seven spent 23 years addicted to drugs before shooting himself in the face with an assault rifle on Feb. 1, 2003 following a domestic dispute. Parnell survived and has since dedicated himself to speaking the truth about drugs in an attempt to save others from a similar fate. He spoke to students at several area schools as part of last week’s Red Ribbon Week activities. The Starke County Drug Free Council invites the entire community to come hear Parnell speak tomorrow night at 6 p.m. CDT at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in downtown Knox.

WKVI News Director Mary Perren is glad to be back home in northern Indiana and on the radio. She’s a North Judson native with more than 20 years of news experience. She’s worked in print and radio news in Indianapolis, Hopkinsville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn. and most recently in Winamac before taking over as news director for Kankakee Valley Broadcasting in February of 2013. Her work has been honored by the Associated Press, StateNets News Association, Curb Foundation, Hoosier State Press Association and IBA. When she’s not sitting in the anchor chair or chasing down news, Mary enjoys shopping for antiques, attending concerts and taking long walks and rides in her vintage Saab convertible, weather permitting. She’s also a hopelessly devoted Chicago Cubs fanatic who still cringes at the mention of Steve Garvey and Josh Beckett and maintains it wasn’t Steve Bartman’s fault.